Portable douching device

ABSTRACT

A portable douching device attachable to a standard shower fixture having a flexible water supply tube easily reeled in and out of a removeably mounted storage housing. Water flow to the device is adjustable as to temperature and pressure with standard shower valves. A chemical dispenser is coupled in the douche water supply line and is positioned for easy access by the user.

United States Patent [191 Mills [111 3,817,247 June 18, 1974 PORTABLE DOUCHING DEVICE [76] Inventor: Marjorie L. Mills, 5-B Venetian Way, Indian Harbor Beach, Fla. 32937 [22] Filed: Nov. 20, 1972 [21] Appl. No; 307,811

[52] US. Cl. 128/229 [51] int. Cl A6lm 3/00 [58] Field of Search 128/229, 230, 251, 66; 4/ 145 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,627,074 2/1953 Karp 128/229 3,044,465 7/1962 Anderson et al. 128/230 8/1969 Van Linge, 128/229 5/1970 Crowley, Jr. et al. 128/229 Primary Examiner-Richard A. Gaudet Assistant ExaminerJ Yasko Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Malin & Haley [57 ABSTRACT A portable douching device attachable to a standard shower fixture having a flexible water supply tube easily reeled in and out of a removeably mounted storage housing. Water flow to the device is adjustable as to temperature and pressure with standard shower valves..A chemical dispenser is coupled in the douche water supply line and is positioned for easy access by the user.

4 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures 1 PORTABLE DOUCHING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to a female hygenic device used for irrigating and cleansing the vaginal cavity, and more specifically to a portable device adapted to be connected to a standard home shower fixture to provide a vaginaldouching apparatus.

In the past, douching devices have been in the form of either of a bag which had a limited and inadequate water supply that was fed by gravity to a syringe type nozzle or elaborate fixtures permanently mounted in a bathroom which were expensive to install, requiringadditional plumbing installation, time and equipment. Applicants invention overcomes these problems by providing a portable douching apparatus having adjustable temperature and water supply means, a dispensing means for hygenic chemicals, and means for conveniently storing the tubing apparatus when the device is not in use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A portable douching device comprising a housing, means for coupling said housing to a standard shower fixture, a reel means rotatably attached within said housing, flexible tubing coupled about said reel, door means in said housing side for opening said housing to receive said flexible tubing therethrough, first conduit means coupled to said reel for supplying water to said flexible tubing, a second conduit means coupled to said standard shower fixture inlet and to said first conduit in said reel, a diverting valve means for diverting the water within said standard shower fixture inlet into said second conduit, a dispensing means coupled to said first conduit for supplying antiseptic chemicals to said flexible tubing water supply, and means for winding and unwinding said reel whereby said flexible tubing v may be stored within said housing when not in use.

Applicants device provides a flow device having standard sized fittings at each end which may be coupled between a standard shower spraying fixture and the inlet conduit emerging from the wall shower area. The flow device provides a support for holding the entire housing in place without interrupting normal shower usage. For douching, the flexible tubing is withdrawn from the housing on the reel. The regular shower water is turned on and the water temperature adjusted to suit the user. Antiseptic chemicals may be added at this time to the dispensing chamber. The diverter valve is then opened allowing water to pass through the douching device instead of the shower. When not in use, the flexible tubing is reeled back into the housing and stored To install and mount the Applicants invention on a standard shower fixture, the shower spray nozzle is removed and Applicants device is mounted at one end to the wall-mounted shower conduit with a standard threaded coupling means, while the other end of the device provides a threaded member for the mounting of the shower spray nozzle. The entire housing, reel, conduits, and flexible tubing are then supported by the shower conduit extending from the wall in the shower area. The device may be removed from the shower fixture in a reverse manner when changing residences.

It is an object of this invention to provide a portable douching apparatus mountable on a standard shower installation.

It is another object of this invention to provide an easily installed douching apparatus having adjustable water pressure and temperature utilizing standard fixtures already installed.

And yet another object of this invention is to provide a douching apparatus that is readily accessible and easy to usein a standard shower environment which is out of the way and neatly stored when not in use.

In accordance with these and other objects which will be apparent hereinafter, the instant invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of Applicants invention installed in a standard shower fixture.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation partly in cutaway of Applicants invention.

FIG. 3 .is a front elevation view in. partial crosssection of Applicants invention.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation in cross-section of the diverter valve as utilized in Applicants invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional front elevation of the axle conduit seal and support of Applicants invention.

FIG. 6 shows a cross-section front elevation of the opposite axle support including the reel conduit to the flexible tubing wound about the reel.

FIG. 7 shows the engagement of the flexible tubing to the reel conduit.

FIG. 8 shows the rewind spring mechanism in an untensioned condition.

. FIG. 9 shows the reel spring mechanism in a tensioned condition.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings and especially to FIG. 1, Applicants invention, shown generally at 10, is coupled to a standard shower fixture (comprising a wall conduit 12 and threaded engaging means 14) coupled at one end to conduit 20 and at the opposite endto a standard nozzle 16 which provides a water spray which is'coupled to a threaded screwing member 18. Integrally connected to conduit 20 is housing 22 which is tube-like in shape at the top having a circular portion rigidly coupled around conduit 20 at each end for support. In the forward part of the housing is an access door 28 for withdrawing the douching tube. Handle 24 operates a diverter valve to divert normal shower water into Applicants invention. The shower pipe 12 is shown protruding from a wall section 26 as found in a conventional shower.

FIG. 2 shows the interior of housing 22 which has a rotatably mounted reel 42 anda conduit system 36 which is coupled into passage 20 by diverting valve (not shown in FIG. 2) which ultimately terminates and is coupled to flexible tubing 30 wrapped about reel 42. The flexible tubing is wound and unwound from the spool through door 28 and has at its end a flexible nozzle 38 suitable for use in cleansing the vaginal area. Nozzle 38 is sufficiently flexible to bend if necessary for storing within the housing 22. The nozzle is removeably connected to the tube 30 to allow an interchange of different nozzles when more than one female will make use of the device. The nozzles may be color coded for easy personal identification, and are constructed of flexible plastic or rubber.

Douching conduit system 36 (FIG. 3) is coupled at one end to the shower connecting passage through a diverting valve having control handle 24 and at the other end into the reel axle conduit 42A which is rotatably coupled to the housing. Thus, axle conduit 42A rotates as part of the reel 42 and may be integrally formed therewith, while the internal conduit 36 is fixed relative to the housing. A dispensing chamber 48 for antiseptic or deodorizing chemicals is fixedly mounted to the housing above the reel and has an opening 50 pivotally coupled to the side of the housing which provides for the receipt of the chemicals. A metering valve 52 couples the chamber 48 into internal conduit 36 to allow metering of chemicals into the douching water line. Shower passage 20 is connected to the housing 22 to provide a rigid support when coupled to a standard fixture.

The reel 42 for retaining flexible tubing is rotatably coupled within the housing, having a bearing on each side of the reel axle comprising support bearing 46 and sealed rotating bearing on the opposite side. A spring provides for rotational tension on the reel to allow unwinding and rewinding of the flexible tubing.

The center axle of the reel 42 is comprised of axle conduit 42A which directs the water flow from conduit 36 into the flexible tubing. Radial conduit 44 connects axle conduit 42A to the flexible tubing inside the reel bed. A bracket 40 is rigidly fixed to the interior of the housing and supports the reel 42 and conduit 36 on one side while bearing 46 supports the reel on the opposite side.

FIG. 4 shows the shower conduit 20 including'enlarged passage 20A and nozzle sleeve 208 housing diverting valve 52 which is manually operated by handle 24, allowing water to flow through the intake conduit 20 into the main body of the valve 20A and to exit either through conduit 208 or passage 54, depending upon the position of the valve member 52. A 90 rotation of handle 24 downward allows the valve member 52 to be positioned in the dotted position which would close passage 54 and open the water flow through conduit 20B. The structural housing 22 is not shown in FIG. 4 but is coupled about conduits 20 and 208.

FIG. 5 shows the bearing seal which allows rotation of the reel while permitting water to flow in the flexible tube wound on the reel. Conduit 36 is rigidly fixed to the housing 22 by bracket 40. Welded material 60 shows the attachment of bracket 40 to the housing 22. The reel 42 has an axle conduit 42A with a sleeve 58 positioned within both conduit 36 and axle conduit 42A. An O-ring type seal is positioned around sleeve 58 between the end faces of conduit 36 and axle conduit 42A. Thus, the reel 42 is free to rotate while the conduit 36 remains fixed and the O-ring 56 utilized in conjunction with the sleeve 58 supports the reel, allows it to rotate, and prevents water from leaking out of the reel axleconduit 42A.

FIG. 6 shows the continuation of the axle conduit 42A and the reel supporting member 60 coupled on the opposite side of the reel in the same horizontal plane as the supporting bracket 40 of FIG. 5. The axle conduit is continuous with a radial lead-in conduit 44 which is elbow-shaped back toward the reel and extends into the reel bed having an exit opening 66 which is coupled into or about one end of the flexible tubing.

The axle conduit 42A, the reel 42 and the lead-in conduit 44 all rotate as one unit. Support member 60 which is mounted roatatably in flanges 62 on the reel and housing flange 46 allows for rotation of the reel while supporting the reel against the housing 22.

FIG. 7 shows the lead-in conduit 44 having a slightly flanged opening 66 to permit the engagement into a flexible tubing member 30, the connection being in the reel bed.

FIG. 8 shows the reel supporting axle bracket 40, conduit 36, and spring 68 which is coupled at ends 70 to the reel housing and 72 to the bracket 40. The coupling 70 and 72 prevent rotation of the spring ends, but due to the resilience of the material, the spring will be tensioned by rotation of the reel.

FIG. 9 shows the spring having been tensioned on the axle of the reel such that upon release of the the tube end, the stored potential energy contained in the spring will cause the reel to rotate in the opposite direction thus retracting and pulling the flexible tubing back into the housing.

Of course, other valve and temperature and water control devices may be added at various points in the conduit system for automatically regulating temperatures and pressures (FIG. 3, element 32) in lieu of manual control with the standard shower valves.

To mount Applicants device in a standard shower (FIG. 1), the nozzle 16 is removed from the shower inlet 12 and Applicant's device is coupled to the inlet housing by threaded member 14 which rigidly supports the entire structure. Nozzle 16 is then screwed on to protruding threaded portion of conduit 20B and is therefore ready for use.

In operation the flexible tubing with an appropriate nozzle is withdrawn through door 28 and fed off of the reel. As the reel is unwound, tension is put on the spring 68. The diverter valve is then put in the open position so that water will flow into the douching device and flexible tubing. The user then adjusts the water pressure and temperature by regulating the shower valves. At this time, antiseptic or deodorant chemicals may be added to the dispenser 48 through door 50. Metering valve 52 will automatically supply the proper amount of chemicals into the douche inlet water through the flexible tubing. Upon completion of douching the user will then remove the nozzle, turn off the water and allow the flexible tubing to be retracted back into the housing. The diverter valve may then be turned to the off position allowing normal shower use.

The instant invention has been shown and described herein in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention'and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

l. A portable douching device attachable to a shower conduit comprising:

first conduit having a threadable connector means disposed at each end;

a reel supporting means connected to said first conduit;

a reel rotatably coupled to said reel supporting means; I

a second conduit in fluid communication with said first conduit;

a flexible hose;

a third conduit disposed through said reel axis coneluding:

nected at one end to said second conduit and at its a dispenser means in fluid communication with said opposite end to said flexible hose; and second conduit; diverting fluid valve means disposed within said first a fluid pressure regulating valve disposed within said conduit and in communication with said second 5 second conduit for regulating the pressure fluid conduit for diverting fluid in said first conduit into therein to a predetermined limit; and 7 said second conduit. a metering valve disposed between said dispensing 2. A douching device, as in claim 1, wherein: container and said second conduit. said supporting means includes a housing with said 4. A portable douching device, as in claim 3,

reel mounted within said housing, said housing hav- 10 wherein: ing a movable wall portion positionable from a first said second conduit is rotatably connected to said open position to a second closed position. reel axis conduit at one end: 3. A portable douching device, as in claim 2, in- 

1. A portable douching device attachable to a shower conduit comprising: first conduit having a threadable connector means disposed at each end; a reel supporting means connected to said first conduit; a reel rotatably coupled to said reel supporting means; a second conduit in fluid communication with said first conduit; a flexible hose; a third conduit disposed through said reel axis connected at one end to said second conduit and at its opposite end to said flexible hose; and diverting fluid valve means disposed within said first conduit and in communication with said second conduit for diverting fluid in said first conduit into said second conduit.
 2. A douching device, as in claim 1, wherein: said supporting means includes a housing with said reel mounted within said housing, said housing having a movable wall portion positionable from a first open position to a second closed position.
 3. A portable douching device, as in claim 2, including: a dispenser means in fluid communication with said second conduit; a fluid pressure regulating valve disposed within said second conduit for regulating the pressure fluid therein to a predetermined limit; and a metering valve disposed between said dispensing container and said second conduit.
 4. A portable douching device, as in claim 3, wherein: said second conduit is rotatably connected to said reel axis conduit at one end. 